Dundee sets out plan for thousands of homes

18 Feb Dundee has published a local development plan that allocates space for more than 2,600 new homes over the next five years.

Will Dawson

The Dundee Local Development Plan 2019 sets out where and when development, including housing and economic development, can take place up to 2029. The strategy contains policies and proposals covering the main land use issues in the city, and provides the context for decisions on planning applications to be made.

Among the key issues covered in the plan are the allocation of housing sites with room for 2,605 new homes over the next five years, land for economic development to ensure businesses can expand or locate in Dundee and a ‘town centres first’ approach that requires shops to locate in the city centre or district centres.

Will Dawson, convener of Dundee City Council’s planning committee, said: “It is difficult to underestimate how important the local development plan actually is to what the city looks like going forward. It determines what can be built, where and it gives us a framework for taking decisions and making recommendations on applications.” The plan is described as focusing on delivering high quality design and new housing balanced with protecting exciting assets including main shopping streets, greenspaces and historic environment.

The plan was prepared following a citywide public consultation that generated responses from more than 300 people.

Lynne Short, convener of the council’s city development committee, added: “The last local development plan helped the city thrive with significant development at the Western Gateway as well as the redevelopment of housing sites in regeneration areas in Lochee, Hilltown and Whitfield. Under the plan the council granted planning permission for 3,149 homes."